HOCKEY
Lightning move on
Anthony Cirelli scored in overtime to send the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup Final with a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final Thursday night. Cirelli returned in the third after injuring his right knee in the second. Trade deadline pickup Barclay Goodrow set him up for the goal 13:18 into overtime. Tampa Bay ended each of its three series victories in overtime and goes on to face the Dallas Stars for the title. Only New York lasted more than five games, pushing the Lightning to their limits before their talented core got them into the final.
CYCLING
Roglic nearing Tour victory
Paris, and victory at the Tour de France, are almost within reach for Primoz Roglic. The Slovenian rider safely negotiated the last truly mountainous stage of this year’s race on Thursday, moving a big step closer to adding what would be his first Tour win to the Spanish Vuelta title he conquered last year. Polish rider Michal Kwiatkowski won the saw-tooth Stage 18, up and down over a leg-burning succession of five Alpine ascents. His first stage victory at the Tour was also the first at this race for his Ineos Grenadiers team, a consolation prize after its leader, 2019 Tour champion Egan Bernal, withdrew Wednesday having struggled since the weekend. By avoiding any mishaps on a brutal stage that included a treacherous stretch of gravel path that punctured the thin front tire of another top contender, Australian Richie Porte, Roglic has just two more stages to digest before being able to ride into Paris on Sunday with the yellow jersey on his shoulders to the finish.
FOOTBALL
Center to have surgery
Los Angeles Chargers center Mike Pouncey has been placed on injured reserve and will miss the season because of a hip injury. General Manager Tom Telesco said on Thursday that Pouncey will undergo surgery before the end of the month. Pouncey, 31, is in his 10th season. He played in only five games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He was released by the Miami Dolphins in 2018 before signing with the Chargers. He was a Pro Bowl selection for the fourth time in his career in his first season in LA. He is in the final year of his contract.
Cards place safety on IR
The Arizona Cardinals have placed starting safety Jalen Thompson on injured reserve after he injured his ankle against the San Francisco 49ers in the season opener. Thompson will miss at least the next three games. The 22-year-old out of Washington State was a fifth-round pick in last year’s draft and immediately became an important part of the defense in 2019, starting nine games and finishing with 57 tackles.
Jets may be without WR
The New York Jets’ struggling offense could be without wide receiver Jamison Crowder against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Crowder sat out practice Thursday with a hamstring injury, leaving his availability for the game uncertain. Crowder was limited at practice Wednesday, but the Jets want to be cautious with their leading receiver. Crowder had his first 100-yard receiving game for the Jets in the season opener last Sunday at Buffalo when he caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. He had a career-high 78 receptions last season in his first season with the Jets and has become a favorite target of Sam Darnold. Crowder was targeted 13 times against the Bills.
Vikings’ guard heads to IR
The Minnesota Vikings placed starting right guard Pat Elflein on injured reserve on Thursday, meaning the fourth-year player will miss at least three games. The Vikings did not disclose the injury for Elflein, who has not appeared on the injury report this season. NFL Network reported that Elflein hurt his thumb in practice on Thursday. The Vikings play at Indianapolis on Sunday.
TRACK & FIELD
Pole vault record broken
Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis broke Sergey Bubka’s 26-year-old outdoor world record on Thursday. Duplantis cleared 20 feet, 2 inches at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea meet in Rome with his second attempt, besting Bubka’s mark of 20 feet, 1 1/2 inches set in Sestriere in July 1994. Duplantis already holds the indoor world record of 20 feet, 3 1/4 inches set in Glasgow in February — but Bubka’s classic outdoor mark was viewed by many as the ultimate test. The 20-year-old Duplantis, who was born and raised in the United States, came agonizingly close on his first attempt before clearing the bar on his second.
MOTOR SPORTS
17-year-old wins Trucks race
Sam Mayer celebrated his recent promotion to JR Motorsports by scoring his first NASCAR national series victory with a Truck Series win Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn. The 17-year-old Mayer was hired this week to race in the Xfinity Series next season for JR Motorsports. His win in his seventh career Truck Series start — fourth this year — was an upset in the opening race of the playoffs. Mayer passed title contender and teammate Brett Moffitt to score the victory for GMS Racing. He’s the second youngest Truck Series winner behind Cole Custer, who was 16 when he won at New Hampshire in 2014.
TENNIS
Osaka out of French Open
U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the French Open because of an injured left hamstring. Osaka joins defending champion Ashleigh Barty in skipping the French Open, which opens on Sept. 27 in Paris. Osaka, who is ranked No. 3, hurt the hamstring last month at the Western & Southern Open, also in New York, and withdrew from that tournament’s final because of it, then wore heavy tape during the U.S. Open.